


Repeat After Me: I Need A Vacation

by writethelifeyouwant



Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Anxiety, Beach Holidays, Best Friends, Clubbing, Drinking Games, Eventual Romance, F/M, Friendship, Rating May Change, Romance, Slow Burn, Team Fluff, Vacation, spencer deserves love, they are all cinnamon rolls
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-09
Updated: 2019-07-13
Packaged: 2020-06-25 13:10:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,208
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19746403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writethelifeyouwant/pseuds/writethelifeyouwant
Summary: I was on vacation and then I was thinking about what they would be like on vacation and then I pushed my loneliness and need for love onto Spencer and this is essentially gonna be super fluffy and probably corny and just roll with it. Am open to taking constructive criticism as well as scenario suggestions! Because I have some semblance of plot laid out but that pesky middle bit is non existent at the moment. So enjoy your fluffy team bonding on a beach with eventual Spencer love interest! This work is cross posted on Tumblr and FFN.





	1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

“In light of the recent events, I’m putting your team on mandatory leave. Six weeks. Starting now.” AD Barnes’ voice was strict, and emphatically not to be argued with. However, it betrayed her lack of profiling experience, because convincing Prentiss that she and her team needed a vacation was not what one would call a challenge at this point in time. They had been kicked so hard recently, Emily knew she needed to get her team out of the heat for a while. Or, she thought, into the heat depending on where they decide to go get that vacation. 

“Thank you ma’am.” Emily nodded and exited the de-briefing as swiftly as she could without being obvious that her goal was to get as far away from Barnes as quickly as possible. She called the elevator bring her back down to the bullpen and her team. Even though she had dismissed them, Emily was sure not a one had left, and they were anxiously waiting on Barnes’ assessment of their most recent arrest. It hadn’t gone smoothly, per se, and the team could feel the ragged nerves hanging in the air between them. 

They were huddled around JJ and Spencer’s desks, speaking in hushed tones of worry, anticipating the worst their sentence might result in. Luke seemed to exude the most obvious jittery energy. He’d never been on the wrong side of the establishment before he joined the BAU, and he hadn’t accustomed himself to the trips to the principal’s office quite yet. 

Knowing her news was actually a positive scenario, Emily stopped short of the group and savoured their pregnant silence before she granted them their reprieve. “Six weeks mandatory leave guys.” The concurrent exhales soared through the air at her announcement and the giddy high of relief surged through the assembled agents. Garcia and JJ actually made small fist pumping motions before tapping each others’ knuckles. Matt, Luke and Tara exchanged relieved smiles, and Rossi just settled back more firmly in his chair, flipping through his phone. Spencer was the only one who still looked vaguely irritated. He didn’t know how to stop working as effectively as his team mates. Emily smiled brightly, her eyes shining in an echo of her team’s consolation. 

“Okay everyone, get out of here!” Emily made shooing motions, and she didn’t have to tell them twice. The gaggle began to gather their belongings and filter towards the elevators in pairs and trios. 

“Does anyone want to get pizza?” Garcia threw out the option as they crowded an unwise number of team mates into the elevator cabin. 

“Oh I could murder a pepperoni right now,” Emily’s voice leaked with what might be considered an inappropriate amount of desire based on the conversation topic. 

“We can order to my place? Girls night?” Penelope reached out for JJ’s hand and swivelled around to catch Tara’s eyes. 

“If you have wine to go with that pizza then I’m in,” Tara smiled. “JJ?”

“I think I can spare some time before I get back to my boys,” she weighed. “They’re about to be stuck with helicopter mom fo six weeks after all.” 

“All right, girls to Garcia’s!” Emily shouted as they filed out of the elevator in the parking garage. “Any boys want to petition for an exception?” Emily called walking backwards to her car. 

“Not tonight,” Rossi called back. “You ladies have fun.” 

“I’ve got my own ladies’ night waiting for me at home, but thanks!” Matt chuckled. 

“Spence, Alvez?” JJ prodded. 

“You know what, I think I’m gonna go see the new Avengers movie,” Luke answered checking his watch. “I didn’t think I’d be home fo the release but it’s only nine, plenty of time to wait in line.” The girls all laughed as the characteristic excited puppy expression crept onto Luke’s face. “Reid, how ‘bout it?” 

“You know what, why not.” Reid nodded and adjusted his bag on his shoulder. “Text me the theatre address?” 

“Done and done. See ya there man,” Alvez moseyed to his car, tossing his keys between his hands as he went. Spencer waved back in acknowledgement, heading towards his own car. 

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

Three varieties of pizza and several bottles of wine later, Emily and Penelope were draped across Garcia’s couch, while Tara took over the arm chair, and JJ huddled into the bean bag next to the coffee table, cradling her glass of wine close to her chest. 

“Emily,” Penelope drunk whispered (so the volume was really more suited to stagecraft than intimacy), “we should just stay like this forever. We should just spend our vacation on this couch, with pizza and Sergio and never leave.” Emily laughed, stoking Garcia’s hair like she was a cat herself. 

“I should go to a beach,” JJ mused. “I haven’t been to a beach that didn’t involve corpses in years.”

“Ugh, I know!” Emily commiserated. “I thought fo sure we could sneak in some time last time we were in California but no…” Emily drew out the vowel in a long mocking complaint. “‘Get your unit back right away chief. We want your report on the AD’s desk before tomorrow night chief.’ Blah blah blah.” 

Garcia giggled at Emily’s robotic impersonation of the office bureaucrats. Then she nearly rolled off the couch in her excitement as her intoxicated brain attempted to communicate her newest scheme. JJ and Tara jumped to catch her, as Emily’s own laughter essentially pushed Garcia further towards the fuzzy carpet. “Guys, guys we should go! We” Penelope’s drink free hand flailed around to indicate she meant the friends surrounding her, “should go to the beach! Like, on a vacation!” 

“You know,” Tara mused, “I could be up for that. Sun, sand, shirtless men…” she trailed off and swallowed any elaboration on her point with her next drag of wine. 

“Exactly!” Garcia pointed her finger enthusiastically. “What she said!” 

“Just a girls’ trip? I don’t know if I want to go away for too long without my boys, we get so little time off as it is.” JJ cut in. 

“No, no, them too!” Penelope’s drunk excitement hadn’t been dulled but the planning oriented portion of her brain pushed past the alcohol wall to actually push her idea into the realm of a viable option. “All of us, girls, boys, JJ’s boys, like BAU goes to the beach. Like together!” 

“If we can go somewhere close-ish I’m in, I just don’t feel like flying, we spend too much time on a jet,” Emily put in. 

“Road trip! Even better!” Penelope clapped her hands incredibly enthusiastically as she ran to grab her laptop from the formica countertop of her kitchen, bringing another bottle of red with her in the same trip. 

“Virginia has beaches, we can drive there, they literally have a place called Virginia. Beach. That’s totally a place we can go.” Garcia settled herself on the couch again with here laptop on the coffee table so everyone could see the screen while she googled options for beach rentals in Virginia Beach. JJ was already texting Will about asking for a week off.

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

At the indecently early hour of 4:30 Spencer’s phone began vibrating against the base of the lamp it was resting against with entirely too much energy. The violent clattering sound jolted him awake and he grasped blindly for the offending noise, hoping to stop it before anyone else woke. This was not accomplished, however, as jerking his phone from the tabletop caused thee charging cord to topple the lamp onto the hardwood below, very effectively waking up the dog sleeping at the other end of the little room. 

Roxy’s growling and Reid’s swearing and scrambling reached Luke in the next room, who stumbled incoherently towards the sleep disrupting noises. 

“What the hell, man,” Luke grumbled, pulling a hand over his face to wipe the sleep from his eyes. His search for the noise lighted on Reid trying to untangle his phone from the lamp, while Roxy paced around him trying to grab at the wires as if they were chew toys. Luke batted Roxy away from Reid as the other agent finally managed to disengage his phone from its cable in order to answer it. The Caller ID on thee screen informed him who was making this irritatingly early call and he groaned. 

“Garcia, if you tell me we have a case right now, I swear, I’m quitting.” Reid grunted as he settled himself on the floor with his back leaning into the couch that had been serving as his make shift bed. 

“Reid we’re on leave, we can’t have a case.” 

“Well then there is no good reason for you to be calling me at-“ Reid pulled the phone away from his ear to check the time, “4:32 am.” Spencer was unconsciously mimicking Luke’s earlier gesture of rubbing his hand across his face to encourage his muscles to reawaken and help him process what the hell was going on. He caught Luke’s eye as he was petting Roxy on the other end of the couch. 

“Garcia?” He mouthed, ruffling the fur behind Roxy’s ears. Spencer nodded and put the call onto speaker just as Penelope was protesting. 

“No, this is a good reason. A totally good reason, I promise.”

“Garcia, how much have you had to drink?” Luke cut in, his louder than necessary voice causing Spencer to flinch. 

“Wait why is Luke there, are you guys having a sleep over?!” Garcia squealed and ushered all the girls on her end closer to the phone. 

“His couch was closer than my bed. Calm down.” 

“No but you’re bonding, that’s great!”

“Garcia, was there a purpose for this call?” Spencer groaned, smooshing further into the cushions behind him. 

“Yes, yes there is, vacation. We’re going on a family vacation!”

“What are you talking about?”

“Vacation. Us. BAU family. At a beach. BAU goes to a beach.”

“Genuinely, Garcia, how much have you had to drink?” Spencer laughed. 

“That is immaterial to this discussion.” 

Luke raised his eyebrows, impressed at Garcia’s ability to recall both that vocabulary and that serious tone this far into the wine bottle he assumed she had stationed next to her at this point. 

“Pipe down newbie, I can hear your eyebrows from here.” Luke’s brows moved even further back into his rumpled hairline if that was at all possible. Spencer snorted his laughter into his fist. “But, you have distracted me from my totally awesome plan, which is vacation, which you’re coming to.” 

“Where…” Spencer had long ago learned the prudence of being cautious but optimistic about most of Garcia’s plans fo team morale and bond building. 

“Virginia Beach.” 

“Why…?” Spencer didn’t really understand what hat she was pulling this out of yet. 

“Because we’re on leave and we all need a break and the beach is great and it’s not that far.” Penelope huffed, she didn’t like being doubted. Her plan was brilliant. 

“You know, I’ve never actually been to the beach,” Spencer mused. A chorus of ‘what!s’ and exclamations shot through the tinny speaker on his phone, met with a completely perplexed expression from himself and Luke. 

“What do you mean you’ve never been to the beach?” JJ slurred accusatorially. 

“I mean, it’s not like Las Vegas is on the coast, guys.” Reid shrugged, he hadn’t thought of it as a big deal, clearly he was about to bee corrected. 

“Well that settles it” Garcia said, “the pasty professor is coming, he doesn’t get a choice anymore. You in newbie?” Spencer looked over at Luke, who was sitting fairly stunned, idly petting at the air where Roxy hadn’t been for a solid thirty seconds at least. 

“Um… I guess?” His confirmation definitely sounded like more of a question but that didn’t stop Garcia. 

“Great! I’ll text you the details and car pool set ups when I finish. Night night sleep tight!” 

The line went dead and a discordant dial tone rang out for a moment before Spencer hung up on his end as well, shaking his head in amusement and exasperation but primarily exhaustion. 

“What just happened?”


	2. Chapter 2

“I call Rossi!” Tara’s hand shot into the air despite no one asking for a physical demonstration of the dibs. Despite Garcia’s elaborate planning she hadn’t exactly worked out the carpool rota to everyone’s satisfaction.

“All right the lovely Tara, step right up and-“ Rossi spun back to the waiting crowd of teammates with the most put on face of regret they had ever seen him execute, “-oh, that’s right, with luggage I can only fit two people in here.” The eccentric Italian actually snapped his fingers in a classic ‘oh darn’ gesture before he swung into the drivers’ seat of his Buick and cranking the radio to drown out the purr of his engine.

“See you there guys!” Tara’s shout carried back as she waved her hand out the window back at the huffy crowd. The remaining agents and accompanying family stared after the fading car.

“Did that really just happen?” Luke asked. He was a little miffed, he had ben gunning for a ride in that car. At the back of the group JJ was trying to console a crying Michael, who was insisting he didn’t need his booster seat anymore since Henry didn’t use one. JJ and Will continued to wrestle their boys into their car while Reid, Garcia, Alvez and Prentiss looked at each other before racing towards Emily’s SUV.

“I call shotgun!” Reid’s long legs gave him the advantage in sprinting towards his seat and solidifying his claim over the spot. As it was Emily’s car, she claimed driver, leaving Penelope and Luke to slide into the back row passenger seat. Matt and his family weren’t joining them, and Garcia had only leet him off the hook when he told her that they planned on taking the Disney World vacation he’d been promising his daughters for a few years now.

As the two vacation bound vehicles pulled out of Rossi’s driveway and made their way towards the highway, significantly behind their lead car, similar battles for control of the radio played out amongst the passenger rows. Michael and Henry were in a very intense disagreement about which Guardians of the Galaxy soundtrack to play. Michael didn’t know the difference but he knew he wanted to beat his brother. In Emily’s car Garcia had commandeered the radio through some gadget that put the whole car at her mercy. Luke frequently made grabs for her phone to change the songs she was singing along the loudest to, purely in an effort to rile her, but he secretly enjoyed the majority of the music beating through the speakers beneath his feet.

“You know, Emily, with the standard traffic patterns around DC at this time of day if you take the next exit and speed a little bit on some of the backroads we can beat Rossi to the hotel by approximately 15.7 minutes.” Spencer had a paper map open on his lap, purely for his own road trip entertainment.

“How fast is speeding?” Emily asked as she signalled to pull off at the tree lined exit.

“Um, an average of 72 miles per hour should be sufficient.”

“Oh we are gonna beat him there by way more than fifteen minutes,” Emily grinned. Spencer gulped nervously, slightly regretting his suggestion, but vowing to relax and enjoy the ride with his friends to the best of his ability.

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*  
True to Spencer’s calculations, Rossi’s Buick was nowhere in sight when Emily pulled into the little parking lot behind the hotel. Garcia had chosen a small family-owned place right on the beach front and essentially rented out an entire floor for the team. All the boys and Tara had insisted on separate rooms, JJ, Will and the kids were in their own, and Garcia and Emily had opted to share, looking forward to what they imagined was going to be a week-long drunken sleep over.

“I’ll go check us in!” Penelope rushed out of the car, leaving all but her purse behind.

“And I’ll go check out the bar,” Emily made finger guns at the boys who stood at the back of the car, waiting for the trunk door to finish lifting itself off of the luggage.

“Yeah, we’ll just get thee bags,” Spencer shouted sarcastically. “No worries guys!” As he and Alvez proceeded to divest the SUV of its contents Rossi and Tara pulled off the main drag and slid perfectly into the adjacent spot.

“No sign of JJ?” Rossi called as he hopped out from behind the wheel, cracking his knuckles in front of him.

“She texted me when we were pulling in, the boys needed a bathroom break. They’ll be here soon.” Spencer slung his duffle around his shoulder and grabbed the handle of Emily’s small black suitcase. The agents trooped inside all very ready to find Emily and the bar.

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Despite the fact the their drive hadn’t been more than a couple hours, the effort of moving a large group, including children, from point A to point B had drained everyone’s energy. After their couple of welcome drinks and a casual dinner of burgers and wings in the diner across from their hotel, the agents all crowded into JJ and Will’s room to embrace their mandatory relaxation while Michael clapped and giggled along to one of the Disney movies JJ had packed with them. Bags of popcorn and chips were tossed to strategic points among the adults who were strewn across the two large beds and obligatory armchair that furnished the tiny lodging.

“I thought this movie was supposed to be for children?” Rossi whispered conspiratorially to Garcia as the cartoon man on the screen quizzed his companion about her fiancé’s foot-size.

“Relax, they don’t know what it means,” she waved away his concern, grabbing for the popcorn.

“I know what it means,” Henry mumbled while maintaining eye contact with his handheld game.

“Not when you’re sitting next to your mama you don’t,” Will whispered warningly into Henry’s ear, and Spencer tried to stifle a chuckle in his mug of tea but was relatively unsuccessful.

“What’s going on over there boys?” JJ called from across the room where Emily was braiding her hair.

“Nothing,” Spencer and Will chorused, sharing a smirk.

At the conclusion of the film the team began to filter out to their respective rooms, stifling yawns and waving goodbyes as they made their way leisurely towards their beds. Rossi and Reid made their way to the far end of the hall. Stopping at his door Rossi turned towards Reid.

“Can I tempt you? I brought a bottle and a box,” Rossi raised his eyebrow and jerked his to indicate he wanted Reid to follow him in. Spencer sighed and ran a hand through his hair as he considered.

“Yeah, okay,” he nodded and followed Rossi through the now open door, hands diving into his pockets in a momentary act of self defence before he gently chided himself, reminding his brain that he didn’t need to protect himself against anyone on his team. He knew Dave just wanted to check on him, make sure he was keeping a good grasp on things in the face of all the changes the team had been forced to go through in the previous months. Another thought occurred to Spencer as he watched the older man pour him a measure of scotch in a hotel mug. Spencer had lost his best friend when Morgan left, and now that Hotch was gone, Dave had lost his. Protecting Spencer, looking out for him as Hotch and Morgan had, was Rossi’s way of coping with the losses.

Spencer accepted the proffered mug with a grateful nod and Dave poured a second before reaching into his bag and pulling out a cigar and a silver lighter. The pair moved to the small balcony attached to the room in companionable silence, Dave lighting his cigar and Spencer quietly sipping at his scotch. The liquid stung the back of his throat before spreading into a molten feeling of relaxation slowly creeping across his chest. Inhaling deeply Spencer could smell thee tobacco but it didn’t mask the fresh, clean scent pouring off the water they were looking out over. It wasn’t a combination that stirred any memories in Spencer and he was grateful for that, knowing that the next time he breathed these scents he could return to this moment of serenity between himself and his friend.

Further down the beach lights and music pulsed across the sand, and wobbly patrons traipsed across the sidewalks and sand dunes but on their little patch of beach hardly any shadows flittered over the rippled sand. The tide was coming further in, destroying the evidence of the day’s happy beach-goers. A small dark shape registered in Spencer’s periphery and he turned to watch a girl make her way slowly to the edge of the waves before stopping and standing unnaturally still as the wind moved the towel she held around her shoulders out behind her like a cape. Spencer and Rossi both watched her for a little while longer but as he drained the last sip of whiskey from the white ceramic in his hand Reid noticed she really hadn’t moved an inch since she had stopped earlier. The tide was creeping up towards her ankles as he and Dave moved back inside.

“Thanks, Rossi,” Spencer walked to thee door, hands back in his pockets, but this time groping for his own room key.

“Goodnight Spencer,” Rossi clapped his hands of Reid’s shoulders and squeezed reassuringly before the two finally parted for the evening.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you all enjoyed!! I'm almost done with the next chapter as well so that should be up fairly soon :)  
> Also, don't think I was lying when I said slow burn haha. 
> 
> Reviews and Kudos are my lifeblood.


	3. Chapter 3

The air here felt remarkably different from home despite only being a couple hours drive away. Spencer had been to beaches before, obviously. His work with the BAU hadn’t seen fit to spare carefree vacation goers and their beach paradises. This was the first time he had been to a beach without looking for, or at, a dead body. He had resolved, despite his apprehension about the incredibly foreign social situation he was about to be presented with, to relax on this trip. He was here with his best friends, his family really, he wanted to enjoy himself. 

Reid was still in his sleep clothes, a t-shirt and his boxer shorts covered by a lightweight robe, as he leaned against the outdoor balcony railing. He sipped steadily at the cup of coffee he held cradled between his hands. The beach in front of him had a few lone joggers and dog walkers making their way up and down the coast of the bay. It was shaping up to be a peaceful morning. 

In the distance, he couldn’t tell from which direction it came, he heard the delighted squeals of young children. He didn’t expect those jubilant noises to practically slam into the door of his room however. 

“Uncle Spencer!” Henry and Michael’s voices echoed past the sliding glass door Reid had left open behind him. Spencer smiled as he pulled himself off his forearms and set his coffee down on his way to the hotel room door. 

“Hey guys!” Spencer opened the door to JJ and her boys, who happily rushed in to his room. Spencer scooped up Michael before he ran himself into the bed-frame. The little boy giggled happily as Spencer ruffled his hair and sat him down on the bed next to his brother. 

“Sorry it’s early Spence, they really wanted to get down to the beach.” JJ shrugged apologetically but smiled indulgently at her sons all the while.   
“It’s fine, um, let me just get dressed I guessed?” Spence ran a hand absentmindedly through his hair as he glanced around trying to mentally assemble a beach version of a go bag. He evaluated JJ’s attire and accompanying straw bag, visibly overflowing with toys, towels and sunblock. Grabbing for his duffle bag he rooted through to find the swim shorts and a t-shirt that he took into the ensuite to throw on. It felt odd to be wearing such a casual outfit outside his apartment. Spencer couldn’t remember a time he’d worn anything other than a collared shirt around his friends, except to work out under incredible amounts of duress. 

Emerging from the bathroom dressed and carrying a towel, Spencer stopped short and held his arms out in a mid-shrug, silently asking for JJ’s approval of the ensemble. 

“Wow Spence,” JJ nodded, thinking she could get used to this more relaxed Spencer. “Did you even own swim trunks before Garcia conned you into this trip?”

“Absolutely not,” Spencer laughed, feeling free to move around the room and collect a few things to take down to the beach with him. 

“Uncle Spencer, can we go swimming now?” Henry asked, looking up from his handheld game. 

“Sure can, Henry,” Spencer checked he had his room key one more time before the group went back out into the hall, the boys running ahead in their excitement. 

“Henry, go put your game back in the room and get your dad, okay,” JJ called. Henry didn’t acknowledge his mom’s request but did as he was told. Moments later Will popped out into the hall, camera strung around his neck. 

“You boys ready?” Will clapped his hands together once and swung Michael up into his arms. “Beach time!”

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

The rest of the team filtered down onto the beach, carrying towels and coffees and books, all the supplies necessary for a day of doing absolutely nothing that didn’t involve relaxation and supplementing their vitamin D intake. Garcia came bouncing down with a swimsuit splattered in a bright sunflower pattern with matching bright yellow sunglasses in the shape of stars, and a silk sunflower pinned garishly onto her sunhat. 

Rossi was sporting an impressive get up comprising of matching linen shorts and loose linen button down with a hat that made him look like a Cuban mafia boss. All he was missing was his cigar. Tara and Emily came down sporting very sleek black bikinis and sunglasses, primarily intent on scouting the available eye candy. Luke brought down a soccer ball with him, kicking it aimlessly along the sand to where everyone had set up their towels and personal effects. 

Spencer was lounged on a towel at the edge of the team’s group, reading through the first of his stack of books. A short distance away from him lay an abandoned towel and beach bag. The spot had been unattended since he had arrived on the beach with JJ a little while ago, and sand was slowly gathering in the crevices of the beach towel. Perched on top of the beach bag was a crisp looking paperback, clearly purchased to be this girl’s summer beach read. Curiosity piqued, Spencer leaned over casually and shifted his gaze to get a better view of the cover. “The Once and Future King” by T.H White. Nice, Spencer thought, returning to his own sci-fi compendium. 

“Hey Prentiss,” Luke shouted towards Emily from the other end of the group, “wanna go?” He pointed down to the soccer ball he was tapping between his toes. Emily smirked. 

“I don’t think you know what you’re asking for.” 

“What, you’re not chicken are you?” Luke knew his taunt was childish but he also knew it would work. 

“Loser buys the winner’s drinks tonight?” Emily rolled up from her towel, brushing the sand off her thighs as she went. 

“Goal’s that way!” Luke shouted as he ran past Emily, kicking the ball further up the beach. She tore after him, the picture of focus. 

JJ came jogging back up the beach, leaning down over her own bag to extract a small inflatable life vest. “Are you gonna come in the water at all Spence?” JJ laughed. 

“You know, since global warming has begun to increase the temperatures in the Atlantic there’s been a proliferation of vibrio vulnificus in the bays and inlets along the Chesapeake coast.” Spencer informed her. 

“Do I want to know what that is?” JJ laughed, but nervously.

“It’s a rare flesh eating bacteria,” Spencer nodded calmly. JJ looked panicked for a second before Spencer’s poker face broke and he laughed, starting to pull himself up from the sand. JJ signed with relief, realising that Spencer wasn’t actually concerned about being eaten by microorganisms. “Don’t worry, people hardly ever catch it.” Spencer started to walk down towards the water and JJ followed, shaking her head a little in stunned disbelief. 

Seeing them coming, Michael toddled away from Will with his arms outstretched. “Mommy, mommy!” 

“Hey munchkin,” JJ groaned as she swung the boy up into her arms. “My goodness you’re getting heavy! When did you get so big?” Michael giggled as JJ tickled around his chin, life vest still slung over her arm. Will strolled forward and gave JJ a kiss on the cheek. 

“I’m gonna go lay down for a bit, good luck with this one,” he huffed, ruffling Henry’s hair. 

“Did you tucker your dad out, huh?” She questioned Michael as she put him back down and walked with him back to the water’s edge, Spencer trailing behind them leisurely. “Henry, come over here and put this on!” JJ waved the life jacket above her head. 

“Ugh mom do I have to?” Henry pouted but came back over to grab the jacket anyhow, his blonde hair plastered down over his eyes. 

“You have to wear it if you want to go any deeper young man.” 

“Fine,” Henry mumbled, blowing into the little tube that inflated the vest.   
The sun was hot, and getting hotter the higher it moved in the sky, which felt at odds with the fairly strong breeze that was coming off the water in the inlet. Last night it had been peaceful, with barely any visible movement beyond the foaming of the surf as it ran into the shore. Today there were waves moving diagonally across the surface of the water, crashing in on themselves a few yards before they made it to the edge of the beach. Spencer had noticed more than one small child get bowled over in a white cap that day, and understood perfectly well why JJ was insisting Henry put on a life-vest if he wanted to go any deeper than his knees. 

“Are you coming Uncle Spencer?” Henry’s question broke Reid from his thoughts and he blinked down at the boy. 

“Henry, I will go into the water if you answer me these riddles three,” Spencer’s eyebrows waggled in an echo of his fingers as a mischievous grin sprung across his face. 

“Is one of those riddles how you got wet?” Henry asked innocently.

“What do you mean I’m not-“ Spencer spluttered in the middle of his sentence as Henry grabbed a pail from Michael and tossed a bucketload of water right in Spencer’s face. 

“Oh, you are gonna get it!” Spencer ran after Henry as he cackled and ran headfirst into the ocean spray.

The waves were cresting heavily that day, spurred on by the wind that was also whipping up clouds of sand along the shore. Spencer and Henry pushed their way through the crashing water as they chased each other. JJ stayed back with Michael, letting him plod along beside her as the tide washed over his toes. From her vantage point on the beach Garcia was taking dozens of photos, smiling as Spencer lost his balance and was toppled over by a wave.   
“Hey, send me those will you, Penelope?” Will laughed, peaking over her shoulder.

“Sure thing, sugar,” Penelope smiled. 

“Mom, I wanna go further!” Henry’s complaining shouts reached back to them. 

“Henry,” JJ shook her head at him, “I already told you no, that’s far enough. I can’t even touch the bottom out there.” 

“But mom-“ 

“I can take him out,” Spencer volunteered, pushing his sopping hair back off of his face. 

“No, Spence I can’t ask you to do that.” 

“No, I don’t mind.” Spencer assured her. “The water will actually be gentler if we go a little deeper, it will be mostly swells instead of waves.” 

JJ still looked hesitant but the look on Henry’s face, a well-practiced mix of anger and pathetic pleading, crumpled her convictions. “Okay, but hang on to him. And Henry you listen to Spencer out there.” 

“Yes mom,” Henry’s mocking tone didn’t hide his excitement effectively. 

“Okay, how far do you wanna go Henry?” Spencer asked. 

“Out there,” Henry pointed towards where a woman with ocean darkened hair was bobbing up and down over the swelling sea. Spencer and Henry splashed across the sand and let the waves tumble them into the deep. 

Pushing out into the ocean amidst the swells was a sensation that Spencer had never experienced before. As the wind drove the sea up and down around them it felt like he was being loomed over by a wall of water but he could still feel his toes buried comfortingly in the sand. And as the water came nearer he would push gently off the ground, gripping Henry’s arm to pull him along, to float easily over the top of the surge that had seconds before threatened to engulf him. It was simultaneously relaxing and exhilarating, and he laughed. Spencer’s laugh was loud and careless and utterly without thought. It was happy. 

Time was obviously passing but Spencer wasn’t inclined to measure it. In this moment he felt happier than he could remember being in years. He grabbed for Henry’s waist and hoisted him up and over the oncoming swells, holding him out so he could pretend he was a superhero, flying above the waves. However, a moment later Spencer’s oblivion was shattered as a swell began to fold early, white foam raging forward to engulf Henry and drag him from Spencer’s grasp. The wave hit Spencer square in the face and he was shoved backwards with the strength of it, spluttering and coughing while he tried to regain his footing. 

It could only have been a second that his eyes were closed but when he pried them open again, fighting the sting of the saltwater as it seeped past his lids, Spencer realised he could no longer see Henry. Panic shredded his thoughts as he launched himself into the water, grasping through thee sea in front of him and praying his fingers could find what his eyes couldn’t. Behind him Spencer heard a shout, devoid of any real words. Spinning he saw, with intense relief, the bright orange of Henry’s life vest and a small head of wet blonde hair, coughing as he tried to clear the water from his throat. Holding him above the waves was a petite, tan figure with dark hair splayed across her cheeks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reviews and Kudos are better than caffeine! <3


	4. Chapter 4

“There you go,” she said soothingly, rubbing her hand in small circles along his shoulders. “You’re okay, just a little water.” Henry nodded bravely, pushing past the lump he could still feel in his throat. Superheroes didn’t let waves get them down. 

“Oh my god, Henry!” He heard Spencer shout as he beat his arms furiously trying to get to him as quickly as possible. Despite the current trying to force him in the opposite direction Spencer made it to his side in no time, pulling him into his heaving chest. “I’m so sorry, are you okay?” Spencer pulled back with Henry’s face between his hands and Henry tried to push his way out of his godfather’s grip. 

“I’m fine, stop it,” Henry grumbled. 

“You sure? You want to go back?” Spencer pressed. 

“I’m fine, I can stay,” Henry protested. 

“It was just a little water up the nose, no big deal.” The feminine voice broke Spencer’s concentration and for the first time for reaching the pair he actually acknowledged the girl’s presence. 

“Thank you so much for grabbing him,” Spencer panted. The girl waved away his gratitude easily, smiling in amusement. 

“Really it was nothing, he was fine, I just wanted to check in case.” 

“See I told you I’m fine,” Henry asserted. 

“Well what do you say to the nice lady, Henry,” Spencer asked, and if he hadn’t been using his arms to tread water they would have been crossed over his chest in his best impression of parental authority. Henry rolled his eyes and swivelled himself to face the stranger. 

“Thank you.” 

“No problem kid,” she laughed. “I’m heading in, try not to scare your dad too much again.” 

“Oh he’s not-” Spencer’s sentence got lost in the waves as the girl had turned quickly and dove forward towards shore, only emerging above the waves nearly a minute later, and far too far away to hear what Spencer had said. 

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

When Spencer and Henry finally climbed out of the ocean the group was packing their things up to go to lunch. JJ wanted to put Michael down for a nap and honestly Spencer wouldn’t have been averse to taking a nap either. Spending several hours keeping up with Henry had been exhausting. 

After their leisurely lunch Garcia pulled the team to an ice cream shop and they walked along the sand with their treats the rest of the way back to the hotel. As they reached the place where they had made camp earlier that morning, Spencer noticed that the stalwartly empty blanket he had been stationed next to earlier had gained an occupant. 

Lounging with her new book open on her knees was the girl that had pulled Henry out of the waves earlier that morning. Earlier, Spencer hadn’t taken the time to really look at the girl but he did now. The long dark hair that was previously pulled tightly away from her face was now loose. Swathes of frizzy curls spread out behind her on the sand, tangling in the breezes that blew past. Her cheeks were flushed pink from the sun, and patches of freckles were clustered across her nose and brow. As she stared intently at her novel she absent-mindedly worried her full, wind-chapped lips against her teeth. 

“Nice spot, brother,” Alvez came up behind Spencer and clapped him on the shoulder, following his line of sight to the girl on the sand. 

“Wh- what?” Spencer stuttered, embarrassed at having been caught staring. 

“Her,” Luke nodded approving towards the girl. “She is…” a low whistle became the substitute for whatever word Luke was struggling to find. 

“Isn’t that the lady who saved me this morning Uncle Spencer?” Henry had observantly joined the conversation. “She’s pretty,” he added, taking another bite of his ice cream. 

“I’m sorry,” JJ cut in. “The lady who what this morning?” She crossed her arms looking sternly quizzical at Spencer over Henry’s head. 

“I almost drowned,” Henry said matter of factly, smirking up and Spencer with innocent looking eyes. JJ balked. 

“Henry are you trying to get your mother to kill me! You did not almost drown,” Spencer glanced up at JJ’s face and rushed to assure her. “He didn’t almost drown, I promise. A wave just went over our head is all.” 

“Right,” JJ sounded very skeptical. “Henry were you being a little dramatic again?” She looked down at her son who looked only mildly guilty. 

“Maybe a little,” he grudgingly gave up. 

“Well, I told you you have to be careful in the ocean. Do you believe me now?”  
“Yes mom.” 

“Oh, hey!” Everyone’s heads turned. 

In the distraction following Henry’s little announcement, Spencer hadn’t noticed the girl in question getting up from her blanket and collecting her things into the neon tote bag she was sporting. Having spotted Henry and Spencer standing at the edge of the team she was now heading straight for them, nervously but intently nonetheless. 

“Hi,” Spencer gulped, completely surprised that this very beautiful girl was actually initiating contact seemingly without purpose. 

“How’re you doing big man,” she leaned down in front of Henry, bracing her hands on her knees as she levelled her face with his. Spencer blushed profusely, realising that she had come to check on Henry, not to seek him out. “Didn’t turn into a fish then?” 

Henry laughed. “You can’t turn into a fish by swallowing water,” he told her. 

“Hi,” JJ reached out her hand to the stranger, placing her other protectively on Henry’s shoulder unconsciously. “Thank you for helping Henry earlier.” 

“Oh, it’s not a problem, really!” She brushed away JJ’s thanks breezily. “You guys have an adorable son,” she said, directing the comment to JJ and Spencer, to the team’s amusement. 

“Oh, Spence isn’t my husband,” JJ laughed as she corrected her. “Will is up in the hotel putting our other son down for a nap.” 

“Oh, god, sorry,” she blushed in embarrassment. “I didn’t mean to assume anything.” 

“It’s fine,” Spencer answered awkwardly, not really sure what else to say. He felt a dull stab in his back and winced, looking around to see Luke smirking at him and trying to point his eyebrows towards the girl. “So um, do you go swimming a lot?” Spencer cringed as he heard the question leave his lips. Do you go swimming a lot, what kind of lame stupid question is that?

“Yeah, I love the water! I don’t live by any so when I’m here I pretty much live in the ocean.” 

“You’re not from around here?” Spencer asked, glad she hadn’t seem put off by his question. 

“No, I’m just here for the summer, I’m staying with my uncle.” At that she checked the phone on her clock and cringed. “Actually I have to get going, I’m late to meet him right now. It was nice to see you again though,” she glanced up at Spencer shyly. 

Luke, sensing that there was no way Spencer was about to ask, cut in on his behalf. “Hey, we're going to that bar over there with the giant turtle outside later tonight. If you wanted to meet up for some drinks?” 

“Oh, um,” the girl looked nervous and genuinely taken aback. Spencer looked like he was wishing he had his revolver with him so he could use it to shoot Luke in the foot. “I uh, I’ll see if I can.” Her answer was hesitant but not in a way that hinted at rejection, just apprehension. 

“Well, it would be nice to see you there…” Luke trailed off waiting for her to fill in her name, which Spencer just now realised he still didn’t know. 

“Zoe,” she smiled. 

“Zoe,” Luke nodded, returning her smile. “Well just look for Spencer here, he’s the tallest, kind of hard to miss.” Spencer really wanted to shoot Luke now. 

“Okay, yeah, maybe I’ll see you guys later then,” ducking her head down she hurried away, glancing back after a couple steps to look straight at Spencer and when she caught his eye he held up his hand in a small awkward wave. Zoe smiled and turned away again, stumbling in the sand on her way back towards the streets. 

“You’re welcome,” Luke clapped Spencer’s shoulder again as they watched her walk away admiringly. 

“I am going to crush you,” Spencer hissed through his teeth. But inside, all he felt was the lingering warmth that had bloomed under her smile.


End file.
